


A Christmas Carol

by jediokc



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Gen, Ghosts, M/M, POV Scott McCall, Post 3a
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-29
Updated: 2013-12-29
Packaged: 2018-01-06 13:20:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1107335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jediokc/pseuds/jediokc
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Scott held up his hand.  ‘It’s a day for family, Stiles.  You should spend it with your dad like you were going to.”</p>
<p>	Stiles opened his mouth then clicked it shut.  “You know what, Scott McScrooge, you’re right.  We’ll just all go off and leave you be.  Enjoy having your day, that’s what Christmas is all about!”</p>
<p>	Stiles stormed past and slammed the door as he left.  Scott heard him muttering to himself as he left.  “Talk about someone who needs to be visited by the ghosts of Christmas.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Christmas Carol

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully close enough to Christmas to count.

                The meeting broke up on schedule. Scott looked around the room.  Derek was leaning against the doorway.  Lydia and Aiden were curled on the love seat.  Ethan, Allison and Isaac were on the couch, and Stiles and Chris Argent floated near the door but not sitting.  Stiles looked expectantly at Scott, he’d been after Scott to do some sort of pack Christmas thing, but Scott wasn’t interested.  He didn’t much care for Christmas.  He hadn’t since his dad left him and his mom.  Usually she had the day off and that was their day to hang out.  It was bad enough Isaac would be there this year; I mean he liked the guy but between dating Allison and the holiday Scott wasn’t in the mood. But to top it off it was likely his dad would try and insinuate himself into the day.  He didn’t want to add everyone else to that mix.

                Stiles shot him another look, raising his eyesbrows in a clear nonverbal _Dude!_

                Scott sighed.  “So I know Christmas is two days away and I’m sure you all have things to do with your families, so we’ll just consider it a few days off and hope the nemeton or any visitors to Beacon Hills do the same.  See you guys in a few days.”

                Stiles looked like he might be about to sputter and have a seizure at the same time.  His eyes flicked with irritation at Scott. 

                There was a general murmur of goodbyes and some Merry Christmas wishes as everyone filed out of the living room.  Stiles wasn’t leaving yet.  Scott wasn’t surprised. 

                “Scott!  What was that?  I thought we were going to do a pack thing.”

                Scott frowned at Stiles.  “That was your idea.  I didn’t agree.”

                “What?  Why?”

                Scott shrugged.  “Look, man. Christmas is for me and my mom. This year we have to share it with Isaac and my dad. I don’t want to add anyone else. This is about what I want. Besides you all have people to be with.”

                Stiles sputtered.  “Yeah, the Argents hang out in their condo, the twins get to spend the day together since Danny’s out of town and Lydia’s family is doing some formal dinner for three.  Derek gets to hang out at his loft all day.  And I-“

                Scott held up his hand.  ‘It’s a day for family, Stiles.  You should spend it with your dad like you were going to.”

                Stiles opened his mouth then clicked it shut.  “You know what, Scott McScrooge, you’re right.  We’ll just all go off and leave you be.  Enjoy having your day, that’s what Christmas is all about!”

                Stiles stormed past and slammed the door as he left.  Scott heard him muttering to himself as he left.  “Talk about someone who needs to be visited by the ghosts of Christmas.”

                Scott listened to him get into his jeep and rocket off with an angry acceleration.  He shrugged.  Stiles never stayed mad at him for long and he’d see how right Scott was after he thought about it.  He grabbed a bottle of OJ from the fridge and headed upstairs to read and enjoy the peace and quiet until Isaac got home.

 

                Scott woke with a start.  He could hear rustling coming up the stairs, some clinking and looked over at the clock.  Two a.m.  His mom wasn’t due home for another four hours.  Isaac was making a lot more noise than he should be.  He sounded like he was tearing up the living room.  Scott growled and jumped off the bed. He was still in his jeans and sweater from earlier having passed out reading on the bed. He flung his door open and headed down the stairs two at a time.  He rounded the corner into the living room and froze.

                Victoria Argent was in his living room. Which was very impossible.  Well there was the nemeton, so maybe it was mostly impossible.  She shot him a fiery glare.  He glanced down at her, she had manacles on her hands and feet, and he could see tables and shelves behind her. He sniffed the air and there was no scent.    “This place disgusting. Don’t you clean anything?”

                Scott blinked.  “What the hell are you doing in my house?”

                She shot another glare at him.  She gestured at the leftover bowls on the table from the meeting.  “Going to make Isaac clean all this up when he gets home or just wait for your mother?”

                Scott winced.  He shot her a look and started picking up things quickly.  “What are you doing in my living room?”

                Victoria let out an exasperated sigh and narrowed her eyes at him.  “Like you don’t know.”  She waved the manacles at him for effect.

                Scott scowled at her.  “What? Suicide keeps you tied here?  Shocking.”

                Victoria Argent moved faster than should have been possible and was two inches from his face.  Scott’s heart jumped and he let out a yelp despite himself.  Her eyes were like cold blue daggers drilling into him.  “Yes.”  She said tersely.  “But that’s not why I’m here.”

                Scott took a step back.  “Then why are you?”

                “You really don’t like Christmas do you?”

                Scott glared at her.  “No.  I don’t like it.  It’s when dad left us. “

                Victoria Argent’s expression actually softened, though only for a moment.  She took a breath and nodded.  “Scott McCall, you will be visited by three ghosts-“

                “What?”  He looked around the room.  “Stiles!  This isn’t funny.  Get out here!” 

                Victoria loomed at him again.  “Pay attention!  They’re coming, Scott. “

                Scott wasn’t paying her any attention.  He sniffed the air, Stiles had to be outside or something.  The only scent he could pick up was faint, definitely from earlier.  He frowned.  Could be a spell.  He fished in his pocket for his phone and hit Stiles number.  It rang several times before he picked up.

                “Scott?”

                “What did you do Stiles?” 

                “What?”  Scott could hear the sleep and confusion in his voice. “When?”

                “Did you summon a ghost here because I wasn’t doing Christmas?”

                There was a long silence.  “What?”

                Victoria Argent reached out, plucked the phone out of his hand with one hand and slapped him with the other.

                The pain that shot through his cheek was all too real.   He reflexively reached up to cradle the slapped cheek and stared at Victoria Argent.

                “I said pay attention. They’re coming.  The first one will be here later tonight.  The other two will follow. “

                Scott gave her a quizzical look.  “You’re serious.”

                Her expression said she might be about to stroke out of flip tables and furniture.  “Yes.”  It was like ice.  “And if you don’t listen…”

                The front door rattled and Scott spun.  Isaac walked in the front hall and looked over at him.  “Scott?”

                Scott spun back to Victoria and she was gone.  Something in the pit of his stomach sank.  He sniffed the air again, but there was no trace of anyone being here.  His phone was lying on the ground by the coffee table.  He knelt down and picked it up off the floor.  It was off.  He frowned at the phone.  He heard Isaac step into the room.

                “Everything all right?”

                Scott nodded, staring at the spot where Argent had been.  “Yeah, I think I was dreaming or something.”

                “Must have been pretty intense.  Something to do with the nemeton?”

                Scott nodded.  “Probably.   I should get to bed.”

                Isaac nodded, still watching Scott like he thought something was wrong.  “All right. Night.”

                Scott headed back to his room and changed into his pajama bottoms and tank top and laid down.  It was probably just the darkness messing with him, using Stiles’ comment to dig at him.  He nodded to himself.  There was no way Victoria Argent’s ghost was in his living room.

 

                “Scott.  Wake up, Scott.” 

                Scott grumbled and opened an eye at the offending voice.  “What time is it?”  he grumbled.

                “Three.”

                He looked for the owner of the voice.  A tall blonde girl with a black leather jacket leaned down into his face and smiled.  “Erica!”  Scott yelped and pushed himself over his bed and into the wall with a resounding slam.

                She tilted her head and grinned fully.  “And I thought Stiles was the jumpy one.  Aren’t you like the true Alpha, all powerful and wise?”

                Scott’s lips curled at the comment.  He took a deep breath and locked his gaze on her.  “I am an  Alpha now.”  The power rolled off his tongue and he felt the power rumble, vision shifting as the red fired through his eyes. 

                She looked cowed for a moment, then burst into laughter.  “So cute.  I mean, I’m dead, so that’s really not gonna work on me. I’m sure it works on Isaac and the others though.”

                “Jesus, is something letting all the ghosts out tonight?  Do you know what it is?”

                Erica gave him a thoughtful look.  “Yes, I know what it is, and not all, just three, well technically four if you count lady Vic.”

                Scott blinked.  “I must have been dosed with wolfsbane.”

                Erica sat down on the end of his bed.  “You know, maybe.”

                “It’s the only thing that makes sense.  Stiles must have dosed me with it for not doing that Christmas party.”

                “Yeah, that’s so Stiles, going around drugging werewolves so they’ll hallucinate.”

                Scott frowned.  “When you say it like that.”

                Erica patted the edge of the bed next to her.  “I mean, maybe if it was Peter and he could get far away.”

                Scott sat down.  “No, probably not even then.  He went from being freaked out by Peter to being able to be in the same room with him and not complaining.  Not even sure how that happened.”

                Erica shrugged.  “I can show you if you want,”

                Scott sighed.  “No, you’re just a ghost.”

                Erica grabbed his head and twisted it to face him.  “Not just a ghost.  The Ghost of Christmas past.”

                Scott’s eyes widened. “What?  Like in the Muppet Movie?”

                Erica glowered at him.  “That’s the only Christmas Carol you’ve seen?”

                Scott shrugged.  “I stopped watching Christmas shows after dad left.”

                Erica took a deep breath and got to her feet.  “Right, so you really don’t like Christmas huh?’

                Scott looked at the floor.  “It’s just a crappy commercial holiday. Churches use it to get converts and retail stores use it to make a huge profit.  Mom and I usually spend it watching old Bond movies.”

                “That sounds wretched.”

                “Hey!  She likes Bond movies.”

                “No gifts?”

                “Yeah, she gets me some stuff. “

                “Do you give her anything?”

                Scott shrugs.  “No.”

                Erica glares at him.  “But you have a job, you could.  Do you buy gifts for anyone?”

                “Sometimes Stiles, if he tells me he got me something.”

                Erica muttered something under her breath.  “And all this is because you had a bad Christmas when you were a kid.”

                Scott jumped to his feet.  “Well, sorry I’m not all full of Christmas cheer about the day my dad abandoned us!”

                Erica started pacing.  “Wow, I don’t even know where to start.  I mean, do you even get that there are other people in the world besides you?  People who probably have a worst time at Christmas than you do?”

                Scott rolled his eyes.  

Erica clocked him in the jaw.

 Everything went blurry.

 

Scott shook himself and his vision cleared.  He was in the front lawn of the Hale house. He’d been here too many times.  But this was different.  He could smell food cooking, hear laughing coming from inside the lit windows.  The house was beautiful and huge and completely whole.  No trace of fire or damage, like nothing had happened.  He turned and found Erica standing next to him.

“Where are we?”

She nodded toward the window.  Scott frowned.  She shoved him forward and he stumbled a good five feet.  When did she get so strong?

He was about two feet from the window.  He looked back at her and she gestured toward the window again.  Scott sighed and slinked up to the window and peered in.

The living room of the house was full of people, children were laughing, he could smell nuts roasting, he had no idea people actually did that.  He watched the children looking at presents under a massive tree, shaking them and giggling at their guesses.  The adults in the room and some of the teenagers were all smiles as they watched.  Scott’s eyes focused on one he recognized. Peter Hale.  He looked different.  He wasn’t as intense as he appeared when Scott saw him last. He was relaxed, like he didn’t have a care in the world.

He heard one of the boys call out “Derek!”  and run forward and jump at one of the teenagers.  Derek, who Scott recognized from the eyes, was all smiles as he caught what Scott thought must be a younger brother as he hugged Derek and yelled “Thank you!”  

Scott couldn’t believe it.   When he turned Erica was standing right there.  “Hard to believe he was so happy and normal once, huh?”

Scott blinked.  “Yeah.  You wouldn’t know it now.”

Erica snapped her fingers and the scene shifted in an instant to the familiar burned out house.  But this time Scott could see a loan figure in the shadows.  Derek, like he looked when Scott met him.  His hair was spiky and was more scruffy than stubble and beard, his signature leather jacket worn like armor.  Scott watched him clenching and unclenching his fists and staring at the corner, where from Scott’s point of view there was tree moments ago.

“This is his first Christmas back in Beacon Hills.”

Scott’s heart sank.  He looked over at her and then back and Derek.  “That sucks.”

Erica’s eyes narrowed.  “And?”

Scott shrugged.  “He probably doesn’t like Christmas any more than I do, bunch of reminders of family.”

Erica swore under her breath and punched him in the jaw.

Pain exploded across Scott’s face and he skidded across the floor and into some stairs.  He blinked and looked up.  He was in Stiles’ house.  He smiled.  A woman’s voice was singing Jingle Bells and being echoed by a kid trying to sing with her.

Scott pulled himself to his feet.  Erica was sitting on the steps watching him. “Do you have to hit me for this to work?  Wait, of course you don’t, you snapped your fingers…”

“I don’t, I just felt like knocking sense into you.  Has it worked yet?”

Scott glared at her.  “What are we even doing here?”

She nodded toward the living room. 

Scott wanted to say something smart but then figured she’d just hit him again so thought the better of it.  He shot her another glare and peered in.  “They can’t see me?”

She was right next to him and he jumped.  She had moved in the blink of an eye.  “No.  We’re just watching.”

Scott nodded.  He watched as Stiles, from years ago, beamed and sang with his mother in front of the Christmas tree.  Behind them the door burst open and the Sheriff came bustling through the door, a huge smile on his face, juggling a large gingerbread house and passing right through Erica and Scott. Scott gasped in surprise more than anything else.  Stiles leaped up and ran over grabbing his dad’s legs in a hug as his mom grabbed the house before it toppled out of the sheriff’s hands.  “Merry Christmas!”  Stiles yelled.

Erica snapped her fingers.

Same room. No music, but the tree, though it looked old and tired.  Stiles, with his once shaved head was one the phone on the couch.

“But Dad, it’s Christmas.”  He nodded at something that was said.  “Okay.  Yeah, okay we’ll just open presents later. Love you too, Merry—“

He blinked and looked at the phone, the sound of the dial tone audible in the room.  Stiles let out a deep sigh and hung up the phone.  He clicked on the remote and flipped the channels until he found “It’s a Wonderful Life.”  He slumped onto the couch.  Scott could see a small tear crawling down his friend’s face.

Scott’s chest tightened.  He took a step forward and suddenly wanted to hug his friend and realized he couldn’t.  “So that’s how it is for him now?”

Erica nodded.  She actually looked sad too.  “Ever since his mom died.”

Scott blinked.  “But he said he and his dad had Christmas together.”

Erica shrugged.  “But he never told you when.  Sometimes the day after, sometimes two or three. Did you ever ask?”

Scott’s chest felt hollow.  “No.  So he’s alone on Christmas.  Just like Derek.”

“Just like Derek. “

She snapped her fingers and they were back in his room. 

Scott frowned.  “So that’s their past, what about the rest?”

Erica shrugged.  “I could show you Lydia in her pristine prison if you like.  Maybe you’d like to see Isaac’s father lock him in the freezer every Christmas afternoon? “

Scott winced and shook his head.  “You made your point. But why do I need to be the one to fix it?  I mean Stiles could invite everyone over, I’m kind of surprised he isn’t plotting his own thing in spite of me.”

“Aren’t you the big true alpha?  Didn’t you tell them all to go and do other things and take a break?”

Scott shook his head.  “Since when does that stop Stiles?”

Erica just looked at him.  She walked over to his desk and rifled through some papers.  “You know, Scott,  I don’t know if you noticed but he has a very, very small circle of friends, and you’re the center of that.  When has he stayed mad at you for more than a week?  He’s afraid of losing you.”

Scott sat down on the bed. “He wouldn’t.”

Erica sat down and smiled at him.  “Oh, Scott, does he know that?  Does he even know he can have other friends?’

“What?  That’s ridiculous.  He can be friends with whoever.”

“Hmm.”

“What?”

“Did you ever wonder what he was doing the summer I was missing?”

Scott rolled his eyes.  “Sleeping in, playing video games, watching movies,  just like everyone but me while I was in summer school.”

“Nope.”

He focused on her.  “What do you mean nope?”

The room suddenly shimmered and Scott was watching himself at the desk pouring over homework as Stiles walked in.  Scott noticed he was still sporting the shiner from Gerard.

“Dude.  Did you see Erica and Boyd are missing?”

Scott at the desk turned.  “Yeah.”

Stiles flailed.  “Well, shouldn’t we do something about it, help Derek look?”

Scott watched his past self frown. 

“No.  They’re his pack, his problem.  Maybe they just wised up and left. “

“But Scott—“ 

“No, Stiles.  I’ve got to get through summer school.  I’m trying to get things right with my mom.  Derek can handle it without us.  We should stay separate. “

Scott watched as Stiles took a breath like he was about to argue the point, then rubbed a hand over his cheek and stopped himself as he winced. He took another breath.  ‘But—“

“No.  Look Stiles, I’ve got to get this done.  I’ll call you tomorrow.  Maybe we can start those lacrosse practices this weekend.”

Scott watched his best friend’s shoulders slump for a moment and then suddenly straighten and shoot a glare at seated Scott’s back. “Fine.  See you.”  Stiles exited.

Scott watched and then looked at Erica, feeling a wave of guilt surge from his stomach and up into his face. 

“Thanks for that.”  She said.

“Sorry.”

“Aw, all better. Least he didn’t listen.”

“What?’

She snapped her fingers and they were in Stiles room. 

It was the same night.  Stiles was wearing the same clothes and pacing back and forth in front of his computer.  He sat down.  Typed a bit then stood back up.  He looked at his phone.

Scott and Erica watched Derek climb through the window while Stiles was turned away, he turned and flailed backwards.  Scott suppressed a grin despite himself as he watched Derek roll his eyes and stand up. 

“Jesus dude.  Make some noise or something.  Say ‘hello Stiles.”

Derek frowned at him.  “Hello Stiles. What do you want?”

Stiles blinked and turned his head to the side. “Wow. Um, okay.  I want to help.”

Scott gasped and then looked at Erica.  “So much for not going against me.”

Erica put a finger to her lips.  “Shh.  Wait for it.”

Derek cocked his head to the side.  “So you and Scott—“

Stiles shook his head.  “No, Scott.  Just me.  Scott doesn’t want anything to do with it.  He wants to focus on school and his mom.  Not his pack so not his problem in a nutshell.”

Scott winced at Derek’s look, which was sort of like he’d been slapped in the face. 

“And you… disagree?”

Stiles took a step forward.  “I do. But I can’t let Scott know.  Not that he’ll ask, but in case he does.”

Scott inhaled sharply.

Derek was quiet for a minute.  Eyes roaming across Stiles’ face.

“Look I know you think I’m useless—“

Derek blinked and for the first time Scott noticed Derek wasn’t looking at Stiles like he was an idiot or annoying.  “Stop.  You’re not useless.  You held me up in a pool for three hours while Scott had dinner with his girlfriend so the kanima didn’t kill us.  Only an idiot would call you useless.”

Scott looked at Erica.  “Three hours?”

She nodded.  “Yep, they left me on the floor while the thing slithered around.  Probably should have seen that as the writing on the wall.”

Stiles actually smiled.  “Sweet.  What can I do?”

Derek reached out a hesitant hand and thumbed next to the bruise.  “What happened to you?”

Stiles gasped but didn’t move, he looked around the room before locking eyes with Derek.  “Gerard.  He wanted to send Scott a message.”

Derek glanced down at Stiles’ torso.  “The rest too?”

Stiles swallowed and nodded as Derek dropped his hand with a growl.

“Show me.”

Stiles pulled his shirt up to reveal several black bruises along his side.

Scott twisted to Erica.  “He never said anything about those.”

Erica just nodded back to the scene.

Derek took a breath.  “I’m sorry.  I should’ve…”

Stiles looked confused and watched the somber expression moving across Derek’s face. “It’s okay. It wasn’t your fault.”

Derek nodded.  He turned like he was going to head out the window.  Stiles reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. Derek raised an eyebrow.

“You hungry?  I was going to make spaghetti.  You could stay for a bit.”

Scott knew what was about to happen.  Derek was about the most antisocial person he knew. 

“All right.”

“Cool.  Come on,  you can watch my chefly amazingness.”

Derek huffed and followed Stiles out of the room, leaving Scott standing there with his mouth open.

Scott whirled on Erica. “So not only did he go against what I said, he made sure to get Derek to keep it all a secret so I wouldn’t get mad.”

Erica nodded. 

“And the whole summer…”

“They worked together, hung out together, Derek even… helped Stiles when he had flashbacks to being beaten.”

“Flashbacks!”  Scott yelped.  “There were flashbacks?  He never said.”

Erica snapped her fingers. They were back in Scott’s room.  Scott started pacing around the room.

“So what?  They’re friends?”

Erica just shrugged.  “Kind of.  I mean, kind of hard to be friends when they’re both worried about alienating you or pissing you off. Secret friends I guess, like an affair without the fun stuff.” She grinned mischievously.

Scott winced and sat down on his bed.

“You mean something to both of them, God knows why.”

Scott shot her a look.  “Thanks.”

She took a seat next to him and watched him.   Scott’s mind was racing, pieces falling into place.  Stiles stilted and empty sounding reluctance when Scott said Derek’s name.  The way the two of them were always in each other’s vicinity and Derek was always paying attention to Stiles or acknowledging him when the rest of the pack ignored him. Stiles being the voice that seemed to break whatever spell Jennifer had put on Derek.  Scott put his head in his hands.  And now he knew he’d somehow kept his best friend in a box without knowing it. 

“I should get going.”

Scott pulled his hands from his face and looked at her. “What?  Why?”

Erica smiled at him.  “ I’m just one of three.  Gotta make room for number two.”

Scott growled and stood up, spinning around to tell her this needed to stop, but she was gone.  He gasped and shook his head.  “Great.” 

He sat down on the bed and glared at the door.

“Looking for someone?”  A familiar voice came from behind him.

Scott spun and smiled at the large muscular form leaning against his wall.  “Boyd.”

He nodded.  “Scott.”

“So I take it you’re number two.”

Boyd nodded.  “Yep.  Ghost of Christmas present. “

Scott sighed.  “Okay.  So Erica showed me that I may have been a dick to Stiles and Derek.  And that everyone has had crappy Christmas plans, but not sure why I should suddenly love Christmas or decide to have a big get together.

Boyd muttered something and walked over to the foot of the bed.  “Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

Boyd shrugged.  “How about we look at everyone’s plans for Christmas and see what they’re doing.”

Scott shrugged then blinked and stepped back.

“What?”

“Are you gonna punch me into different places?”

Boyd snorted.  “Nah, I figure you got enough of that the first time.”

Boyd walked past him into the hall and Scott shrugged and followed.

They were in the Argent’s apartment, an expanse of food spread across a large dining table.  Allison sat at one end and Chris Argent at the other.  Scott blinked at the food.  It looked like an amazing spread he hadn’t seen since the Thanksgiving he had stayed at Stiles’ and his mom had put out a massive spread giving him a doggy bag for his mom when she got home from work.

Scott watched from the side.  Boyd right next to him.

Allison sighed looking at all the food. “It looks great.”

Chris smiled back.  “It’s a lot, I know.  I thought you might be having Isaac or some of the others over.”

Allison shrugged.  “Isaac is with Scott for the day, though it sounds like a TV bender more than a Christmas.  I don’t know what the others are doing.  Lydia is with her folks?  Stiles and his dad—“

“His dad is working, I saw him go by earlier.”

Allison frowned.  “That’s too bad. So he’s by himself.  I think Derek is too, and the twins.”

Chris nodded.  “Scott was pretty adamant about no holiday pack meeting.”

“That’s because his dad picked that day to leave.  Great timing on his part.  Now Scott doesn’t like Christmas along with not liking his dad.”

Chris took a drink of his wine.  “I suppose I get that.  And as the alpha the wolves are pretty much obeying and the humans follow suit.”

“Yeah, if it wasn’t his first time being in charge I might say we should rebel and call everyone over.”

Chris chuckled.  “No, Isaac?”

Allison shrugged.  “He said Scott included him at his place and isn’t sure how to bow out.”

Scott looked at Boyd. Boyd shrugged and gestured toward the door. Scott glowered at it and walked through.

They were in the hospital.  Scott saw his mom looking at some charts with another nurse Scott knew as Sarah Jenkins, a tall lithe blonde that always playfully winked at him when he visited his mom, more to see him blush than anything else he had figured. 

“So you should come over, we’ve got room.”

Melissa McCall shook her head.  “I’d love to, but Scott doesn’t really like Christmas.  I try, buy some gifts, do the holiday thing with him, but he has pretty much hated the day since his dad left us.”

“Your ex left on Christmas?  What a jerk.”

Melissa smiled. “I’ve come to view it as my best Christmas gift.  Scott doesn’t see it like that though.”

Sarah shook her head.  “That’s too bad.  That why you picked up this morning shift?  
                Melissa nodded.  “Yeah, I figured I’d let someone enjoy the morning since I wasn’t going to.”

Scott winced. 

“Never knew you were such a downer.”  Boyd said.

Scott shot him a look.  “So you’re telling me everyone’s miserable at Christmas and it’s my fault?”

Boyd chuckled.  “I think that’s a bit dramatic.  I mean, your mom, sure.”

Scott grimaced.  “What about the others?”

Boyd pointed toward the door and they started walking. “Who do you want to see?”

Scott thought about that.  Everyone couldn’t be having a horrible time.  Other families would be good.  “The twins.”

Boyd nodded and they walked through the hospital entrance and into the twins small apartment.  A tiny tree sat on a table at the far end of the room by the small TV.  Aiden was curled on the couch watching A Christmas Story.  Ethan came in with two TV dinners and handed him one.

“Merry Christmas.”

Aiden frowned.  “Thanks.  Hear from Danny?”

Ethan smiled.  “Yeah, he gets back in a week. Lydia?”

“She texted.  She might be free later tonight.”

Ethan smirked.  “Better than last Christmas.”

“Anything’s better than Christmas with Deucalion.”

“True, least he threw a pack party though.”

Scott rounded on Boyd.  “So Deucalion threw a Christmas party?  Seriously?”

Boyd shrugged.  “Don’t look at me.”

Scott frowned. 

“Next?”

Scott grumbled.  “Lydia?”

Lydia’s place was a Christmas designer extravaganza.  Matching white ornaments, decorations, it looked like someone bought the latest Neiman Marcus page out of this year’s catalog.  It was beautiful and artistic and made Scott feel like he shouldn’t touch or sit on anything.  Lydia sat at one end of the table as her parents quietly snarked at each other about their split, the wonder of a family Christmas and then started picking at each other.

Scott felt nauseous and headed toward the door unprompted.

“So where to?”

Scott shrugged.

“Stiles?”

Scott inhaled.  He knew he wasn’t going to like it.  He nodded anyway.

Stiles was on the couch.  Tree lit in the corner, a few presents scattered underneath.  He was watching Santa Claus and fidgeting.  He looked at the clock.  He looked at the door and then glanced at his phone and let out a sigh.

“So his dad’s not home?”

“Nope.”

Scott sighed.  “Not going to be home all day or night?”

“Nope, sometime tomorrow.  Just like every year.”

“This is not my fault.”

“No one said it was.”

Scott watched as Stiles sprung to his feet and started pacing.  He walked back and forth and flailed his arms a bit; looking like he was having an internal monologue and then he growled to himself and dropped back onto the couch.

“Why do you hate Christmas?”

Scott watched him look at his phone, jump up and pull a present from behind the tree and set it on the coffee table and sit back on the table and stare at it.

He looked back at Boyd.  “I guess it just reminds me of dad leaving. Mom cried for the whole day.  It was terrible. “

“Your dad was a tool. Doesn’t mean you have to be one now too.”

“What?”

“Come on, man.  Your dad screwed the day up once. You let him ruin it for you and your mom for the rest of your life.  Seems like you’re just taking his place.”

Scott growled and jumped at Boyd.  “I’m nothing like him!”

Boyd didn’t flinch.  “Prove it.” 

Stiles rushed through them into the hall and out the front door.

Scott blinked and spun to look at the closing door. “Where’s he going?”

Boyd raised his eyebrows.  “Dunno, guess we can find out.”

They went through the front door.

Derek’s loft was Spartan and utilitarian as always.  The massive desk table dominated the room by the window looking out on Beacon Hills.  There wasn’t a trace of Christmas in the loft.  Scott wasn’t surprised.  Derek didn’t have any reason to decorate.  The thought dropped like a lead weight in Scott’s stomach.  It must make Christmas terrible for him too.

Derek stood with his hands clasped behind him , watching the city. 

But where was Stiles?  “Why are we here?”

Boyd actually chuckled and nodded at the door.

As if on cue a rapid knocking came from the massive sliding door.  Derek raised an eyebrow and turned and headed over to the door.  He clicked the latch and pulled.  Stiles was on the other side, shifting from foot to foot, eyes darting nervously.

“Stiles?”  Derek said.

Stiles met his eyes.  “Hey, uh, Merry Christmas!”

Derek blinked and stepped back so Stiles could come in.  He made his way past Derek into the loft and up to the open area in front of the couch.  He bounced a bit; Scott recognized that as his friend’s nerves.  Derek followed him into the middle of the room, a curious expression on his face.

Stiles held out his hands, the present from his house in them and held it towards Derek.  Derek looked at it, eyes widened and took it.  He looked down at it and then pointed at the couch.  “Sit down.”

Stiles blinked and made his way over to the couch and sat.  Derek moved over to the table and moved a couple of books and pulled a wrapped present from among the piles and walked back to the couch and sat down.  He handed the other present to Stiles.  “Merry Christmas.”

Scott saw the surprised joy on Stiles’ face, he took the present and looked at it like he didn’t quite believe it was there and then smiled.  “Thanks.”  He gestured at the present in Derek’s hands .  “Go ahead. Open yours.”

Derek blinked; Scott caught the hint of a smile on his lips as he carefully unwrapped the gift.  Stiles shifted four times as he watched Derek slowly open the present.  Derek raised an eyebrow at his shifts.

“I’m more of a tear into it kinda guy, figured we had that in common with the whole wolf thing.” 

Derek nodded.  “First Christmas present in a while.  Wanted to take my time.”

Stiles swallowed and suddenly looked down.  “Sorry, wasn’t thinking.”

“That never happens.”

Stiles shot him a look.  “Har, har.”

Derek finished the present and looked at it. “A kindle?  Stiles, this is…”

“I know you like to read, so I thought you might like it.”

“It’s great Stiles, thank you.”

Stiles beamed.  “You’re welcome.  I can help you get it set up.”

Derek nodded.  “Your turn.”

Stiles blinked and smiled broadly, he tore into it with glee and Scott saw Derek chuckle softly. “Oh My God! Call of Duty! Derek thanks! “ Stiles was bouncing.  He shifted his grip to reveal a leather bound book under the game and his eyes widened a bit.  He set the game aside and flipped through the journal.  There were illustrations, symbols and script that Scott didn’t recognize.  “Is this?”

Derek nodded.  “It’s basic, according to Deaton, but something to start with.  Nothing that you can blow things up with.”

Stiles put a hand over his heart. “I’d never—“

“Uh huh.”

Stiles laughed then surged forward and hugged Derek.  Derek looked surprised but not as surprised as Scott felt.  It took a second and Derek returned the hug.  They parted, Stiles grinning.  “So I hear Ruby’s is open for Christmas dinner.  Feel up for it?”

Derek shrugged. “If you want.  Dad working?”

Stiles’ grin faded a little.  “Yeah.  Like every holiday we used to have as a family.”

“My family loved Christmas.  The house ramped up for the week before Christmas; we did dinners, told stories…”

Scott took a step back, suddenly feeling self conscious.  He looked at Boyd.  “We should go.”

Boyd looked at him.  “Why?”

Scott shrugged, “I don’t feel like I should spy on that.  That’s their friendship. “He looked at the floor.  “The one I made them keep secret.”

“Yeah, I might have been his friend eventually.  Didn’t find out he helped all summer until Isaac told me on the way to Derek’s”

“The day you died.”

Boyd nodded.  “Wasn’t your fault.”

Scott frowned.  “Yeah, I know.  Sorry though.”

“Appreciate that.”

They took a couple of steps and they were back in Scott’s room.  He sat down on the edge of the bed.  “So looks like they were doing okay.”

“True enough.  Just all in secret.”

Scott shrugged.  “Not so bad, is it?”

Boyd smiled.  “Just makes them have to choose.”

“Choose what?”

“You’ll see.”

Scott looked up and he was gone again. 

He put his head in his hands and sighed.

The cold wind made him sit up with a start. 

He was in the cemetery. Beacon Hills Cemetery.  It looked bigger than it had the last time he was here. The clouds were grey and snow spat from the sky.  He blinked at that. Odd weather for Beacon Hills even in December.  California wasn’t known for snow.  A form moved next to him, he turned and saw a woman, a black leather jacket, long brown hair and intense green eyes. He recognized her but couldn’t place her.  He’d definitely seen her before. 

“Hello?”

“Hello, Scott.”

He looked at her.  He still couldn’t quite place her.  “Do I know you?”

She smiled, it was genuine and warm. “I think it’s fair to say you’ve seen me before.  Though I never met you.”

Scott’s brain twisted at the riddle. “Okay.”

“My name is Laura.”

The image of half a woman in the preserve suddenly shot into his mind.  The image had been burned into his mind that night, right before Peter bit him.  “Laura Hale.”

“Yes, the ghost of Christmas yet to come, for you.”

Scott didn’t bother to frown, just nodded and let out an exasperated sigh. “Right.  So where are we?  I mean, the cemetery, but why?”

Laura nodded toward the graves and tombstones.  Scott could see a pair of figures moving through the grey day and into the area.  He focused in and smiled.  Allison and Lydia were moving toward some of the graves.  He could see the flecks of grey running through their hair.  Lydia’s crimson hair was more of a dull copper.  Allison’s hair was longer now and her gait was slower, more staggered.  As she moved past some tombstones he saw the cane.  His smile dropped.  They moved over to a group of stones.

“Come on.”  Laura said.

They walked closer, he could already hear the women talking.

“Think he’ll show?” Lydia asked.

“He always does.”  Allison said.

He moved past a marker that read “Melissa McCall”  the death date was 2015.  His heart jumped.  “Mom.” He whispered. God that was only a couple years away.  “How?”

Laura glanced down.  “It happened when the pack split.”

“Split?”

She nodded toward the girls.

“How’s your dad?”  Lydia asked. 

Allison sighed.  “The physical therapy is going well. He can walk with a walker for a bit now.”

“That’s an improvement.”

Scott made it to the graves where he was standing.  He looked down and saw his name.  His heart dropped.  There were others as well.  Deaton.  Isaac.  Aiden.  How?

Derek was suddenly in the clearing, stealthy as ever.  Neither of the women flinched though.

“Ladies.”

“Derek.”  They both chorused. 

“No Stiles?”  Lydia asked. 

Derek shook his head and actually smiled.  “I tried.  He said several unpleasant things. New ones this time.  He’s getting more creative as he gets older.”

“I don’t really blame him.  Scott did kill his father.”  Allison said.

“That was an accident.”  Derek said.

“What?” Scott yelped.  “Killed the sheriff? I wouldn’t”

“So we tell ourselves, but at this point who knows.  With Peter whispering in his ear who knows what happened and when.”

Derek stared at the grave.  “We practically opened the door when we split the pack.”

Lydia rounded on him, anger in her eyes.  “No! This is not our fault.  Scott was controlling, manipulative and barely listened to anyone but Deaton in the long run, at least until he died and your uncle moved in.  This is not on us.”

Scott knew his jaw was somewhere on the ground.  His breath was coming in short bursts.

Allison sighed.  “It’s true.  The darkness made it worse, especially when Deaton was killed.  He only wanted us around for battle plans and keeping the territory safe.”

Lydia shot her a look.  “Oh, please.  He started that a long time ago, every holiday and break he had some reason for us to not do anything together.  Nothing like it is now.”  She looked at Derek.

“Stiles would kill me.”  He said.

That broke the mood and they all laughed. 

“So when’s the wedding?”  Allison asked as they started to walk off.”

Derek flushed a bit.  “What?”

“What?”  Scott echoed.

Lydia grabbed his arm and looped hers around it.  “Oh, come on.  The house is done being rebuilt.  The pack is steady, the nemeton’s quiet thanks to you killing your uncle on it,  shouldn’t it be time for a little happily ever after for you and Stiles?”

Scott looked at Laura and then back at the scene. “Derek and…”

He raised an eyebrow at her.  “Lydia Martin, are you a romantic?”

Scott watched them go; he wanted to call out to them.  He had so many questions. How could any of this be true?

He turned to his own grave.  “How?”

Laura walked up beside him.  “You heard most of it.  Peter is quite the manipulator when he gets the chance.”

“But Stiles’ dad?”

“You were in a darkness induced rage when the pack split.  You hit him harder than you thought.  There was no turning back after that.”

“And the rest, I really didn’t do group gatherings, social things?”

Laura shrugged.  “Is it so hard to believe?  Tomorrow is Christmas and you all but forbade them to get together.  It was easier to say no, and you wouldn’t listen to Stiles about it.  The one time they did you decided it was an affront to your leadership. Stiles got in your face, as he is want to do, and you hit him.  Derek nearly killed you.”

Scott shook his head.  “I wouldn’t—“

“The darkness played with your control, with you it was subtle, slowly isolating you, feeding your anger; your bad memories and cutting you off from the things that give you strength.  What did you tell Deaton you did when you felt the darkness?”

Scott looked at her and then blinked.  “Looked for my friends.”

“So the darkness—“

“Would want the opposite.”

Laura nodded. 

Scott’s heartbeat elevated as the gears in his head started to turn.  “This future, it can be changed, right?”

Laura nodded again. 

“Then I know what I have to do.”

               

                Scott was back in his bedroom, standing just to the side of the bed and blinking at the morning sun peeking through the curtains.  He glanced at the clock.  It was six.  He had time.  He had to move like the wind, but he had time.  He took a step and heard the wet squish of mud.  He looked down at his shoes, covered in graveyard dirt.  His heart jumped, he kicked them off, found a new pair and dashed down the stairs. 

                His mom was just coming through the door, he bounced off the stairs and hugged her. 

                She laughed and hugged him back.  “Morning, wait did you sleep in your clothes?”

                Scott looked down.  He shrugged.  “Kind of, maybe, it’s a long story.  Mom, so this is abrupt, but can we have everyone over for Christmas tomorrow?”

                Melissa McCall’s eyes widened.  “Uh, well I can maybe go get stuff for casseroles or something, but yeah…” her smile brightening.  “I think we can whip up something.”

                He smiled back. “Oh, you know what, I bet the Argents can help, they have all this food for Christmas and it’s just the two of them.  I can call—“

                Melissa held up a hand.  “I can call Chris and invite him, we’ll go from there.”

                “Okay, I need to run and talk to some people, make sure they come.”

                “It’s six in the morning.”

                He headed out the door, “So I know they’ll be home!”

 

Scott walked up to the loft door first.  This might be the hard sell, it was Derek after all, so he figured he’d get it over with.  He banged on the door.  Waited a minute and heard the movement from inside the apartment and waited.  The door shifted open, Derek was wide eyed, bed headed with clawed hands.   “Scott? What’s happened?”

Scott fought a chuckle at the disheveled look.  He held up his hands.  “Nothing.  I just wanted to tell you we’re having a Christmas lunch/dinner tomorrow at my place. “

Derek blinked at him, claws retracting, and cocked his head to the side.  “Okay…”

“Maybe you can bring a dish, like a vegetable or something?”

Derek took a breath.  “Right.  So, nothing else is happening?’

“Uh, no.”

Derek rubbed a hand over his face. “Scott, you know you could have just texted all of us.”

Scott blinked and flushed. “Oh, right.  Sorry I just got…  excited.”

Derek frowned.  “I thought you didn’t like Christmas.”

“I..  I think I need to be wrong. “

Derek studied him for a minute and then nodded.  “All right.  Tomorrow, with a vegetable.”

“Yeah, oh and pick Stiles up.  His jeep’s not running.”

Derek blinked.  “Okay.”

Scott started to walk away.

“And Scott, text everyone else.  If you go to Lydia’s right now someone else is going to be alpha by noon.”

Scott laughed.

 

Scott went shopping, stores were open for the madness of the day before Christmas and Scott charged in.  By nine he wasn’t sure even being a true alpha could make it through angry women and grumpy people fighting for last minute deals.  Still, he was done by eleven.  He’d heard from the twins, Allison and her father and Lydia.  All of them were coming, which made him smile.

He had just finished putting everything in his mom’s car when his phone buzzed.  Stiles, he smiled.

“So I’m excited, but my jeep isn’t starting and I need to do some more shoppingL”

Scott chuckled, glancing at the carburetor sitting in a towel on the passenger seat.  “That sucks, buddy.  Kinda busy, maybe you can ask Derek to take you?”

There was a pause and then the buzz again.  “Right.  Good idea.  See you tomorrow.”

Scott chuckled.  He’d put the carburetor back on the day after Christmas.

 

The doorbell rang at ten in the morning.  Scott bounced down the stairs as his mother yelled his name from the kitchen.    Chris and Allison were in the doorway with bags in their arms. 

Scott gave them his bright smile.  “Hi guys, need help?”

Chris nodded.  “There’s food in the car, it’s open.”

Scott nodded.  “Isaac!”  He yelled and headed out the door to the Argent SUV.   He heard Isaac coming up behind him.  He handed a couple of trays to him while he grabbed the last of the bags. 

Isaac was looking at him with a small grin. 

“What?”

“Nothing.  Just glad you changed your mind.”

Scott smiled at him which Isaac returned.  He pushed the SUV door closed . “We’ll see how thankful you are when mom gets you to help her cook.”

Isaac blinked and the shrugged.  “I’m not sure how much help I’ll be, but it’s part of Christmas right?”

Scott nodded and felt a bit of warmth in his stomach.  He suddenly found himself thankful for the ghosts. 

The twins showed up next, arms full of gifts and what looked like a casserole dish.  Scott eyed it for a second and then ushered them in.  Lydia was next, a whirl of white gift bags and three different cakes.  She squeezed Scott’s shoulder and uttered a “thank you” as she made her way in, Aiden hurrying by to help with the bags. 

Stiles and Derek showed up last, though right on time for lunch.  Derek carried a couple of large bags full of presents and Stiles had a large green bean casserole. 

“Sorry we’re late, Scotty.  Derek’s green beans needed taken up a notch.”

Derek huffed at him. Scott snickered.  “So you made a dish together…”

Stiles sputtered. ‘No, I mean yeah, kind of—I hate you, Scott.”

“No, you don’t.”  Derek and Scott said as one.

“Werewolves.”  Stiles muttered. 

Scott chuckled and Derek raised an eyebrow at him as they made their way into the house.

 

The dinner had been amazing,  everyone happily getting along, his mom beaming at Christmas like he hadn’t seen her do before dad left them.  Stiles gave Scott a brotherly hug and waggled his eyebrows in a clear “good job Scotty” and complained about being full until the cakes came out and mysteriously found his appetite again.  Scott and Isaac made fun of him as he ran out of steam about halfway through the first piece of cake, this wasn’t helped by the girls defending him and suggesting they do presents instead.

Scott enjoyed watching his friends and pack opening their gifts, he’d done surprisingly well given the short amount of time he’d given himself.  His mom beside herself with the huge bed, bath and beyond basket and hugged him multiple times.  Allison and Lydia came over to look at it and reinforce the awesomeness of the gift, which he knew was genuine and meant to be helpful at the same time. 

The pack had all gotten gifts for each other, so by the time it was over everyone had a small pile of Christmas loot around them.  Stiles was sitting next to Derek helping him with the Kindle, Lydia was right next to him, leaning over from where she was eyeing the leather journal but not touching it yet and giving book recommendations.  Isaac and Allison were laughing at Stiles’ matching wolf scarves for them.  Ethan and Aiden were making hand model gestures with their motorbike gloves, Scott had counted that as a win.

His mom decreed it was time for a Christmas movie and everyone headed to the DVD rack to look,  Scott caught Derek and Stiles and motioned them outside.  They both looked at him, nodded and followed.

They stepped out on the porch, and Scott closed the door behind them. 

“So.  I need to talk to you guys about something.”

Stiles shifted from side to side.  Derek eyed the movement and focused on Scott. 

“What’s going on?”  Stiles asked.

Scott took a breath, looking both of them in the eye and started.  “So, I know you two are friends.  I know you have been since after the kanima.”

Stiles blinked and his face dropped.  Derek winced . 

“Scott, Derek and I—“

Scott held up his hand and shot Stiles a look.  “And I’m sorry.  Making it seem like you couldn’t be friends with Derek was a dick move.  You should be.” He eyed Derek.  Derek whose eyebrows were raised almost into his hairline.  “Both of you.”

Stiles started to say something, then stopped, then started again and stopped. 

Derek eyed Stiles then looked at Scott.  “Thanks, Scott.”

Stiles looked at Derek, blinked and then nodded.  “Yeah, thanks man.”

Scott bounded forward and hugged them both, then took a step back toward the door.  “Merry Christmas.”  He pointed up to the light in the center of the porch they were under.  “Uh, also, you’re under the mistletoe.  Catch you inside.”

Scott darted through the door as Stiles sputtered his name.

He closed the door as he heard Stiles say.  “It is a holiday rule.”

“Stiles it’s not a holiday rul—mmfhh”

Scott smirked and headed into the living room to watch “It’s a Wonderful Life.”  As he settled on the couch next to his mom, he let himself relax around the happy content people in his living room.  His mom hugged him.

“You did good kid.”

Scott grinned.  He looked up and saw the three ghosts in the corner.  Erica, Boyd and Laura smiled and nodded at him.   He beamed.   “Merry Christmas everyone.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
